a bleak prediction which ignores the quantum leap in weapons technology between then and now. as the president pointed out in the debates, no other country comes close. >> we spend more on our military than the next ten countries combined. china, russia, france, the united kingdom, you name it, next ten. >> reporter: sequestration would not change that according to the center for strategic and budgetary assessment, it is not the size of the cuts, about $50 billion a year that would be so damaging but the fact that they would be across-the-board. panetta adds that except for military pay every program from the joint strike fighter military band was be cut by the same amount, 23%. >> it's absolutely a foolish thing to do. if you want to cut the defense budget that's fine. this is a foolish way to do it. >> reporter: in other words, if the pentagon were allowed to pick and choose its cuts sequestration might not be the disaster secretary panetta is predicting. david martin, cbs news, the pentagon. >> glor: pentagon contractors aren't the only one in with a stake in this debate. 1